


A communion with death and wretchedness

by DefinetlynotCarolusRex



Category: Original Work
Genre: Other, Work In Progress, can I write let’s find out, no sex at least not yet, there might be satan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:01:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29016270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefinetlynotCarolusRex/pseuds/DefinetlynotCarolusRex
Summary: 30 years ago, the war of judgement started when the empire of nix attacked the borders of Palus. Urged by the church and promise of land, the three powers of the continent formed the United Forces, an alliance of the nations of Ignis, Palus, and Siccum in order to fight against Nix. Follow Jaeger, a soldier of Nix through exile and revelation, as empires fall and he is led to ever more tenebrous places.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character





	A communion with death and wretchedness

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, this is my story, obviously. I am very excited to share this with other people, as I have been working on it for a while. Please know, this is really one of my first forays into longer writing, and my very first piece of my own creation. If you feel like it, any comments and constructive criticism are very much welcome. Please note that this isn’t completely finished yet, I just want to get a bit out there for feedback on how to improve for future parts. I hope you enjoy  
> =)

Upon a hilltop, in the snowy nation of Nix, there stood a cottage, not too large, not too small. Within that cottage lived a woman, a mild and amiable person, well liked by the people that lived in the village. She was unmarried, approaching middle age, always pious, attending ceremonies to the gods, and generous to those in need. One day however, she found herself carrying a child, notably without a known father. The people of the village’s opinions began to shift, finding her to be less than venerable, though never saying anything to her face. When the child was born, she cared for it the best she could, making sure he was well fed and taught. The father never made himself known, which only made the villagers more suspicious of who it was, but she never concerned herself with who it could have been. Eventually, as was the law of the land, when he turned twelve, he was inducted into the army, and ended up fighting in the War of Judgment, an onslaught from the three other nations, all convinced by the church and promise of land and riches. Her son was immediately put into the frontlines when it broke out. The cottage still stands, and she still resides within it, waiting for her son to return.  
The emperor looked out of his palace window, upon the snowy landscape that he ruled over. He was the third ruler in his bloodline, though his name would not reflect this. When his family assumed the throne of Nix, the first ruler, Rosenwald VI named himself so to make his line seem more ancient and powerful. To his credit, it worked. Such is the way of things when your country’s people are taught the best thing they could do was give their lives for their land. The current emperor’s name is Rosenwald VIII. He had ruled for a little over 500 years, and how he assumed power from his father was… different depending on who gave an answer. Around 29 years ago, the War of Judgement had started, and it had raged on to the modern day. Even from his window in the palace, he could see smoke rising up over the horizon. It saddened him. To see his countrymen have to throw their lives away, in a fight they would lose. A small tear drew from his eye. It would all be over soon. This war, and sadly, their empire. After the ashes settled, he hoped that his successor would do better than him.  
Jaeger sat in the trench, tightly gripping the boxes he had been ordered to carry to the enemy trenches, so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He was a member of the Kriegshetz, the standing army of the Empire of Nix, the place he had been born and raised. They were fighting in their homeland, on the fields of chenssadelaep. It was where they had always been fighting. Ever since their disastrous first strike that is. Some of the soldats told stories of their brothers and fathers holding out at Durnev for 330 days, hoping to reinstill some vigor into themselves and their allies. It was for naught. Any fighting spirit in the Kriegshetz disappeared around 10 years into the conflict. It was impossible to revive that fanaticism that had been a part of their army forever. They all still believed in the fight, and giving their lives for the empire, they just wished to see their loved ones one last time.  
He was scared. Everyone in the trench knew that the generals had planned an attack today. Like any attack, first they sent a tremendous cannonade, shelling the United Forces to disorient them. Even though the two trenches were quite far apart they still heard the pounding of the explosions, the fall of displaced dirt, and the screams of wounded men. Jaeger steadied his breathing. Panicking would do him no good over the walls. The whistle was blown. The soldats of the Kriegshetz threw themselves out of their emplacements. They went into craters in the fields, dove onto the ground. Many didn’t get back up. The others were lucky, they could at least fight back from a range, though they only had a single shot to do so. Jaeger had to make it to the enemy emplacements before he could do anything. He just had to keep running. Running and hoping for a miracle.  
Before he knew it, he had made it across the fields of mud and blood. Into the trench he went, its condition much worse than his own. Their emplacements looked cobbled together in much haste, the condition of it made it look as though it had been there for years, while it had only been there for a few months. He started to move through the wretched place, artillery still pounding around it. Every boom of the shells impacting made him flinch. Mud rained upon him as he went through, until he finally found the enemy. He hurriedly opened one of the boxes that he had been given and threw it at the enemy combatants. For only a second there was a white powder, as soon after being in contact with the air, it lit ablaze in flames black as night. Within them brilliant white spots danced as though they were the very stars of the cosmos. They called it dragon’s breath. As soon as the fire hit the enemy, they started to yell blood curdling screechs, as it engulfed not only them, but the areas surrounding them. It wouldn’t stop burning until any and all fuel for it was exhausted. One man eventually fell, and Jaeger could see the man’s face. It was horribly burned, and the eyes completely black, as though the pupils completely took over the rest of the eyes. Though the deed was horrible, he knew it had to be done, so he continued through the enemy emplacements. He did not know how long he was in that trench, but eventually he heard the whistle to retreat. He knew that he wouldn’t be getting back out in time.  
Jaeger started to frantically look around. It became harder and harder to breath. He needed to hide. They couldn't find him, he wouldn’t let them. He knew what happened to prisoners of war. He tore off his suffocating metal helmet, and took a deep breath. All around him was mud and damp wood, scorch marks from where he had been before. He ran, through wherever he suspected there wouldn’t be any soldiers of the United Forces. Unfortunately for him, there was a wounded enemy in the path, and he had no time to silence him. He heard the screechs of the wounded man, and the shouting of other voices, yelling about an intruder. He was known. He stopped and turned, to see if there was anyone following his trail. There was suddenly a dull aching pain on the back of his head. A hot sticky liquid ran down his neck, and the smell of iron filled his nostrils. Everything went dark.  
He awoke, back in the trenches, vision murky. Looking back and forth, men of the United Forces, the Dull green shomaz armour coated in dirt. He was in the same uniform, and was trying to comprehend the situation when someone shook him from his stupor, a woman with black hair. She yelled “Awake Mr. Bolshevitz! The Kriegshetz are upon us!” He looked over the wall and saw the army of Nix charging forth. Compelled by an unknown force, he took hold of his armaments, aimed, and fired. He saw men of both sides fall, some impaled by the unfeeling blade of a bayonet, others cleaved by dual arms, the mechanisms and gears becoming crimson and sticky as time went on. Screaming came from beside him, and he turned in time to see a man with many boxes strapped to him throwing one, and the white powder inside combusting soon after it hit the air. The Dragons Breath washed over his body, and he felt the cold burning sensation of it, and his vision darkened to only see stars.  
Jaeger now found himself floating through the void of the stars. He drifted, and saw shimmering stars, and some shapes moving across them. He was suddenly in a chair, on a floor that didn’t exist. He was able to see the outlines of things that didn’t make sense, squirming masses of flesh and eyes and mouths, shifting and phasing in and out of a larger body. A voice came from one of them, booming and deep, it uttered in a shout and whisper, “Jaeger Bolshevitz, you are here before us to fulfill a very important purpose.” Jaeger looked to see which of the things it emanated from but he could not determine which one it came from. After a second, the voice sounded out again and said, “You are to be chosen to slay a great and primordial evil.” Jaeger finally worked up the strength to speak and cried out “Who are you?!” Chuckles emanate from all around him, all the things squirmed in a disturbing manner, all the chuckles had a distinctly different sound.  
“Who we are will be clear in time, for now listen and obey.” the voice sounded out. It paused shortely, and suddenly, it felt as though the place had gotten darker, as though one of the stars had gone out. It resumed talking and said “You will enter a new and strange land, all you need to know is to be wary of the witch, for she shall lead you astray.” “There is no such thing as a witch, they are but bogeymen used to scare children.” said Jaeger, a slight tone of defiance in his voice. “You dare speak back to us? You dare insult us? We are all and all are we, insolent mortal. We are alpha beta and omega, we wield powers that could break your fragile mind.” Another voice sounded out saying, “enough of this, he must wake, and soon.” There was naught else but silence as the stars faded away.  
Jaeger jutted up from his sleep, only to find his hands tied behind him and feeling the movement of a cart rumbling below. He felt the back of his head pounding. A dull, aching thudding. The air around him was warm, and he could hear distant geysers billowing their hot water over the land. He tried to yell, but his throat was dry, and all that came out was a strangled cry. A voice emanated from in front of him saying, “Sounds like he's awake. Should I put him back under?” a deeper one responded, “No, we’re almost there. He shouldn’t be able to put up much of a fight.” He tried to stand, but hit his head on the ceiling of the cage he was in. The cart jolted to a sudden stop, and Jaeger heard the men coming towards his cage.  
The door to his prison was opened and there stood two men, stocky with scrunched faces. They had olive complexions with deep black hair, much different than his fair tone, but typical for the people of Ignis. Jaeger was dragged out of the cart, and saw a large building. Distant screams could be heard sounding from it, frightening Jaeger down to his core. He was dragged through the facility, the metal somehow being kept cool despite the heat of the outside. As he looked through squinted eyes, outside some chambers the metal walls were stained blue. He could not figure out why, but he knew that those chambers were the worst. Vague memories of being taught at the academy what blue staining meant sprang to his mind. Nothing good.  
He was finally deposited in a dark room, with no distinct features. There was only a chair, which he was strapped into, and a table with a number of wicked looking tools on it. After the large men had situated him in the chair, bright white lights blasted on, filling the room with a harsh glare. He tried to struggle against the binds, but they only seemed to tighten as he squirmed. He resigned from his struggle, and could only await whatever they had in store for him.  
It felt as though Jaeger were in the chair for hours, when finally someone entered the room. They wore tinted goggles and a bloody smock with damp leather gloves. Their voice was distorted by some kind of device strapped to their jaw. They looked at the guards and said, “Leave us.” Both of the men exited the room, and the scientist walked over to the table and examined their equipment. The voice rang out again and said, “If you would like, we could avoid any… unpleasantries Mr. Bolshevitz. All you have to do is tell me anything you know about recent troop movements.” Jaeger looked at them with a confused expression, and replied “Why would I know anything?” The person whipped around and started to walk towards him, with a nasty looking syringe in their hands. “Do you take me for a fool? If you had Dragon’s Breath, you must know at least something, such a valuable substance is not handed out to common foot soldiers.” Jaeger was once again confused, and said “But I am a foot soldier.” The scientist seemed taken aback. They seemed to mutter something to themselves, and write something down.  
After a while, they walked right up to him, and quietly whispered, “I will give you one more chance to comply. Tell me what you know, and we won’t have to have anything… happen.” He looked them right in the eyes, or at least where he thought they were, and said, “Even if I did know anything I wouldn’t tell anyone of your ilk.” They chuckled. “It won’t be up to you now. Modern science is truly a miracle with what it can do to a person's tongue,” they said gesturing to the syringe with a thick, scarlet liquid in it, “can be quite nasty. And hard to clean up. It does do its job however, and it will work well enough to get your lips flapping.” They stuck directly into his pupil, and slowly injected the liquid, not stopping for his screams of pain.  
What happened next was a blur for Jaeger. He could vaguely recall the scientist being upset. Yelling at him. They wanted to know about dragon’s breath supply, where it was. Eventually, his mind quieted down and he became coherent once more. The doctor looked at him, betraying no emotion from behind the goggles, and they let out a grim chuckle. They wheeled the table over to him and said, “I want you to know, this is my favorite part of these things, getting to put a sheep like you in your place. Perhaps this will inspire you to repent for what you have done Mr. Bolshevitz, though deep down we both know that won’t happen.” They took a metal rod and smashed it repeatedly against his leg, until a visceral snap was heard. Jaeger screamed out in pain as the sensation rocketed up and down his leg, and they did the same to his arm, causing him even more suffering. The injuries would follow him until his end. He gritted his teeth and stared up at the other person, and saw them picking up a hot iron.  
“You are nothing but a drone, some fool that follows whatever order that your precious emperor spouts. Branding you will be a mercy for a sorry soul like you.” The doctor walked to him, the red hot iron in hand, and slowly and deliberately placed it on Jaegers temple. A white hot pain surged through his skull, and he gritted his teeth, trying not to scream out. The doctor slowly drew it down his face, across his eyelid, and ended it with a flick at the jawline. The left side of Jaeger's face was completely scarred and burned, and he was unable to open his left eye. The guards that had brought him there came back into the room, and were briefly taken aback by the burns and damage to his leg. The doctor gave them some instructions, and proceeded to leave the room.  
The guards were silent, but gave him a look of pity. One started to take care of Jaeger’s leg, carefully putting it in a splint, and the other bandaged the burnt half of his face. He wanted to object, refuse their help, in some vain show of pride, but he was in too much pain to do so. The men helped him up and carefully walked him back to the carriage in which they came to the facility. As they approached, Jaeger noticed that it was much more spacious than before, and even some food. The two guards hoisted him into the cage, and gave him some food. The burlier one grunted, “Eat up. It's for your own good.”  
The carriage moved noticeably slower than on the way to the facility. Jaeger begrudgingly ate the food he had been given. It was good, especially considering he was a prisoner. It was meatballs in a creamy sauce, a meal that was popular in Nix. It reminded him of home, of the mother he could only barely remember, having gone to training at age 8. A tear welled up in his eye, quickly wiped away by his arm. It was a well made batch. He had never felt more dread in his heart than when that carriage stopped.  
The two men came around and got him out of the cage. Jaeger then saw where they had taken him. To the land without name. Even now dust swirled around them, collecting on the clothes they wore. He tried to struggle, to shout. It was all in vain. Even if he had the strength to, he would not be able to break free from the man that held him, much less be able to fend off the other one. They took him to the edge of where the distinction of dust and normal ground ended. One threw him across into the dust, and the other threw him a set of clothes, and his dual arm. The burlier said, “I wouldn’t suggest coming back. You won’t be treated as pleasantly as this time. And I would suggest putting those on. They’ll serve you better than those current rags.” They both turned and drove the carriage off.  
Jaeger pulled himself by his one elbow and dragged himself to the nearest rock. He looked at the clothes the guards had given him. Dark blue, almost black, garments. A long coat, pants, a face mask, and tinted goggles. He tried his best to put them on with his one arm, and achieved reasonable success. He shakily stood, and limped himself through the landscape. His arm and leg still burned like fire, but he did his best to power through. He looked around as he walked, and saw almost no life. There were strange plants that looked like they were of another world. They were a dark crimson hue, edges jutting out like the teeth of a saw. There were bones as well. Large and ancient bones, ones of creatures of impossible size. As he limped across the landscape, he thought he saw movement out of the corner of his eye, but whenever he looked, there was nothing there.  
He had no idea how long he had been walking. His leg and arm were now completely stiff, making every step of his singular foot more excruciating. He saw ahead of him the skull of one of the gargantuan creatures, and decided to try to set up a camp there. He limped slowly over to it, and saw it extended farther than the outside would seem to suggest. He gathered some of the strange plants, and used them to set a fire for warmth. The smell was putrid and simultaneously delicious. He leaned against the makeshift wall of the massive head, and examined the damages to his arm and leg. They were mended better than whatever attempt he could have attempted would have resulted in. The people of Ignis sure have a strange way of treating prisoners.  
His vision began to swim, dots drifting across his eyes. He felt strange, a funny feeling in his stomach. Suddenly, the pain in his arm and leg were gone, and he felt the sudden urge to laugh. So he did, hysterical laughter, part out of joy and part fear. He then vomited, and proceeded to laugh some more. Before he passed out in the next few seconds, a thought that had been at the back of his mind was brought to the forefront, and that was that he was being watched. Perhaps that was helped by the bright eyes that were now coming slowly and steadily toward him, bobbing up and down like a four legged animal. Or perhaps that was the plants talking. Who really knows? He sure didn’t. Then he proceeded to pass out.  
Once again, he was somewhere else, but this time not the front lines again, instead in the same land he was in before. Before him stood a great door, with slanting walls behind it. On it were markings unfamiliar to him, but then again, many things were unfamiliar now. He looked around and saw another person, also looking upon the door, their face obscured by a mask with the visage of a demon. They turned and spoke in a voice not entirely unfamiliar, “Welcome to the nameless land, or as I like to call it, Innominatum. You have taken a step into a larger universe, one of danger and glory. I would suggest you wake up quickly, as it would be a shame for you to be devoured by a common beast before we can formally meet.” The person then turned and slapped him quite hard across the face, waking him.  
Jaeger opened his eyes to see a great monster standing before him, a four legged thing with a slobbering maw of teeth going back into a permanent grin, a hairless, frighteningly thin body, and an all too long tail. It was startled at him opening his eyes, but recovered quickly and pounced. The thing pinned him down, and started to try and bite his neck. His good arm sprung up and he tried to use it to hold back the advancing beast. The maw of the horrible thing only got closer and closer. By now its breath was within smelling distance, and it was quite putrid. It smelled of rotten and decaying meat, causing Jaeger to try and turn his head in disgust. The thing was inches away from his neck, and was about to chomp down when a sudden burst of bright light blasted it off him. He tried to recoil his head back from the light but only succeeded in smashing it against the skull, causing him to once more lose consciousness.  
Jaeger’s saviour looked upon the charred beast that now lay before her. She kicked the remains checking for signs of life. There were none. She walked back over to him, and looked down through the slits of her mask. He lay there, in quite bad shape, half his appendages broken, and quite out of a right state of mind. That is the result of inhaling the fumes of a turgulus plant. She picked him up and started to carry him off. He had many things still to do, and she was there to make sure they happened as they should. He was a once in a lifetime opportunity, once in many lifetimes in fact, and she would not let him slip through her fingers.  
She took him to her shelter, a small set of supplies and blankets, in a cave. She had some barriers set up at the mouth of the cave, both physical and ethereal, to keep the beasts out. She laid him on one of the rugs and started to concoct medicine for his wounds. Exiles came through here often, looking for help. She never gave them any. Why waste good supplies on someone who will wind up in the belly of a beast in the next few days. This one was different. At least if the visions weren’t wrong.  
Jaeger awoke, his head swimming. He looked around, examining the cave that he was now in. It was quite lived in, rough chairs scattered about, arms at the back, for defense it seemed, and a fire pit in the center. He smelled cooking meat coming from the fire. Suddenly, a voice came from one of the walls of the cave. “So, you have finally woken up. Certainly took you long enough.” He turned quickly to see a woman sitting, her back on the dark grey wall. He tried to speak but all that came out was a hoarse croak. The woman chuckled and said, “Turgulus is not kind on your throat. You know, for a soldier, one would think you’d know better than to burn a plant you have never seen. I suppose it doesn’t really matter now, but I would recommend not doing anything like that again. You can survive a night without fire.” He looked at her pleadingly, trying still to speak, but to no avail. “Oh! Where are my manners? I’ll get you some water.”  
Rehydrated, Jaeger finally uttered his first words to his saviour. “Who are you?” he asked, throat still sore. She seemed to think for a moment, before replying “Who I am is not information I just hand out to anyone.” “Do you at least have a name I can call you?” “I suppose you may call me Oswald.” “How long exactly have you lived here?” “Oh Mr. Bolshevitz, you are quite inquisitive. Truthfully, I have lost track of how long I have been here. Not that time as you know it has a real meaning here in the first place. I know for sure I am many years your senior however.” Jaeger was taken aback, not by any of the mentions of time, he couldn’t begin to understand that if he tried. “How do you know my name?” he quickly demanded before she could continue any further. Oswald chuckled and simply said “I know a great many things about you.”  
Oswald walked over to the pot where she was cooking food. She leaned over and wafted the scent, smelling deeply. She shrugged and said, “good enough.” she pulled out two bowels, and filled them with some kind of soup. She handed one to Jaeger and said, “You need to eat. We have a great many things to do, and a relatively short time to do them.” Jaeger looked at the bowl, and hesitantly picked it up. The soup looked quite simple, some broth made out gods know what, with chunks of meat floating lazily in it. Luckily, he was a man of simple taste. He took the first spoonful, and ate it. He had never been happier to have such a meal, and proceeded to scarf the rest of it up in speeds that would frighten the hungriest of people. After his meal was finished, he turned to Oswald and looked hard at her. “Have I met you before?”  
She looked at him for a moment before responding with, “You know, for a common grunt, you are quite perceptive. I suppose to answer your question, no not formally. I have appeared to you through dreams if you may recall.” He then remembered the woman in his dreams, the one while he was in the enemy trenches, and the other before he came face to face with that wretched beast. He then got a nasty idea of what that meat was from. “Were you the other one as well?” Oswald’s eyes narrowed, “What other one?” “The one who spoke to me about entering this land, about a witch.” She narrowed her eyes, “I would not heed anything that talks to you of such nonsense as witches, they will only try and distract you from the important matters.”  
“It would seem, however, that you are a high priority person Mr. Bolshevitz. Not everyone is contacted by multiple people in their dreams. I would recommend not listening to most people who appear in dreams, they can be dangerous.” “You appeared to me in a dream.” “That is true, however I also made sure to save your life. Now then, I would suggest getting some sleep. There are things that must be done tomorrow. He looked at her and nodded, lay his back on the ground, and stared at the ceiling. Strange inscriptions coated it. He wanted to ask Oswald about it, but he decided against it. It would be able to wait until the morning.  
Rosenwald sat quietly in the Royal study. The room was gargantuan, richly decorated, and overall ostentatious. It was a relic of a time where he had been more vain, and he now was embarrassed by the massive room. He thought of his upcoming duties and what would happen to his nation and his family. He had faith in them, that his wife and daughter would persevere through the war and its end. He knew what would happen to Nix, his precious nation. He knew he would have to let go of it, allow it to crumble, and then arise like a phoenix from ashes, stronger and more glorious than ever before. He was scared of it all. Though his demise scared him, he knew it was necessary for the nation to grow. No cost was too great.  
Rosenwald walked out of the study, his purple cloak slightly rustling. He walked through the palace, its halls deserted at such a late hour. His shoes made loud echos with each footstep on the white marble floor, echoing throughout the place. He entered the war room, and sat. He rang for a servant, to which one promptly appeared. He told him, “Summon the commandants, I have a new plan. The one to end this war.” The other man bowed, and hurried out of the room. Rosenwald sat by himself for a few minutes, thinking of what he was doing. Would it be worth it? The commandants walked in, each of them quite tired and miserable looking. Rosenwald beckoned them to sit, and said, “Gentleman, I have the plan that shall end this brutal conflict. I will want it effective immediately.” “Why are you so sure that this one shall end the war?” asked one of them. Rosenwald only supplied him with “Because I have foreseen it.” They sat in silence for a few seconds before one of the other men asked, “What is your plan exactly?”  
Rosenwald explained, “I want our forces to retreat back towards the capital, we shall mount the offensive from there. I need a spy to supply the enemy with some information, say that they stole it from our experimental divisions.” He handed the blueprints to one of the commandants, who took a look at them. He looked back at Rosenwald, and whispered, “These are impossible. They cannot be built.” Rosenwald replied, “I know. That's why we trick them into thinking we are well on the way to making the,. The spy shall say they are captured blueprints, and the united forces will waste no time trying to build them.`` The commandant's faces lit up with understanding. “Now then, get on with it.” The men got up and left the war room. The plan was approaching the final stages.  
“Tell me Mr. Bolshevitz, are you religious?” It was not a question Jaeger expected to wake up to, but he supposed there were worse things to hear when roused from sleep, like a snarling beast. “I visited the church now and then, if that is what you mean. I never became really devout however.” Oswald paused for a moment, contemplating what to say next. Eventually, she said, “I would have expected a soldat of the Kriegshetz to be more… pious.” Jaeger frowned and said, “Most of the branches haven’t been religious since, well, a long time ago. The war drove that out of us.” “Ah yes, the war. Do you know how it started? The spark that lit the bonfire?” “We got orders to march straight into the capital of Palus, the land of acid and swamps. It was the most direct attack on any of the countries that we had ever attempted. Usually we fight along the outskirts, but not this time. As it had turned out, the other three nations had formed an alliance, and we were driven back to our own land, where it has been a stalemate ever since.” Oswald’s brows furrowed, as she seemed to think about something.  
“Tell me, who is the standing Emperor of Nix?” Jaeger let out a short laugh, and responded “Same as it always has been. Emperor Rosenwald VI.” This only seemed to confuse Oswald more, so Jaeger asked, “Is something wrong?” She replied, “Why would he make such a foolish choice?” He shrugged and said “The only ones that see him are those in the palace, his bride, and the commandants.” She muttered something else under her breath, something that Jaeger couldn’t make out, and decided to refrain from asking about it. Oswald stood up from her makeshift seat in the cave and said, “Up now Mr. Bolshevitz, we have wasted too much time already. Big things need to be done.”  
“Oh woe is us, trembling before the gods, us feeble and children compared to the weakest of them! May they have mercy upon our souls when we shall pass beyond the veil asunder!” the preacher continued to bellow out scripture, the audience remained knelt in prayer. Archdeacon Lhazayron IV watched over the procession silently, judging the preacher and audience. He wondered if the priest was truly faithful, or feigned faith out of fear. Or to avoid service. Either was plausible. Lhazayron’s real name was Terrowin, the other was simply a title, and an extravagant one at that. He would talk to the priest after the sermon concluded, so he took a knee with the rest, and bowed his head in prayer.  
The sermon concluded, taking a larger amount of time than Lhazayron thought it would. Faithful or not, the man certainly was committed to his preaching. While the rest of the crowd shuffled out, likely to tend to their crops or some other menial task, Lhazayron approached the man. He tapped him on the shoulder, and the priest quickly turned, and kneeled quickly upon seeing the Archdeacon stand before him. “Pontiff!” he exclaimed, “I had no idea you were coming, I would have prepared something if I had.” Terrowin rolled his eyes slightly, being one of the most powerful men on Interitus sure had its perks, but it also caused many bothersome behaviors from others. He knelt and placed his lips on the other man's forehead, and in an assertive but quiet voice he said, “rise my child.”  
The pontiff held out his hand, and said “would you like to come on a short stroll through the gardens with me?” “S-sure my lord.” the man replied. They walked out to the gardens in silence, taking in the scenery, until finally Lhazayron spoke up. “Tell me my child, are you truly a believer?” The priest gave him a worried look, and replied, “Of course father. I was raised in a religious home and my parents passed their faith unto me.” Lhazayron nodded his head, pondering what the man said to him. “Come with me, my child, we have things to discuss.” Lhazayron led the priest to the pontiff’s quarters, which he had installed in every church ever since he came into the position.  
The quarters were nice, not overly decorated, but not so modest it was dull to look at. The church may have had some problems, but style was definitely not one of them. He sat the priest down on the bed, and he took a seat beside him. Lhazayron drew his hand across the others cheek, and whispered something into the other man’s ears, now beet red. The man closed his eyes and shook his head, saying “O-of course not! I swore an oath!” Terrowin leaned close and softly said “What do you think, believer? The gods gave you eternal yearning.” The priest leapt up and stuttered “With all due respect pope, please stop!” Terrowin just sighed and muttered, “They are never any fun nowadays.” He walked over and grasped the other man, hand on cheek, and began to feel younger. The priest’s face shriveled, as though rapidly ageing. He tried to say something, but his vocal cords had withered away seconds before. Lhazayron simply looked down at him with unsympathetic eyes, until the other one was fully drained. He cast him off, and walked out of the chambers. He could blame it on one of the creatures that patrolled the lands. He always did.  
Oswald walked ahead of Jaeger, being more used to the landscape of the land they were both in. She was leading him somewhere, though had failed tremendously to elaborate any further than that. They traveled in silence, Oswald being insistent on it. “Needless talking will drain energy, and draw unwanted attention out here.” Jaeger thought she was needlessly vague, but he was sustained by her hospitality, so he wasn’t planning on challenging what she said anytime soon. She hadn’t packed any food, so he assumed that they wouldn’t be going too far away from the cave he now called home, but it was beginning to seem that wouldn’t be the case. Oswald suddenly held her hand up, signalling him to stop. She pulled out the dual arm that she had been carrying with her on the trek, and with a flick of her wrist it was transformed into what appeared to be a catalyst, at least that's what it seemed to Jaeger.  
It turned out he was correct. She ignited it and flames spewed out towards an unseen target. It hit a seemingly harmless plant, which let a horrifying wail as it burned, and it struggled to crawl out of the ground, and that was when he saw the sheer size of the thing. The “plant” had a massive maw that reached a good way around it, and the thing was now snapping close and opening again, only fanning the spreading flames. It seemed to burn much longer than appropriate, and it seemed to blend into the landscape as it tried to escape it’s inevitable demise. Eventually, the thing finally collapsed, and Oswald signalled it was safe to move again.  
They kept walking, until Oswald led him to a cave, and she gestured inward. In a somewhat mocking tone she said “Your meeting with destiny awaits you.” He looked into the mouth of the stone formation, black as pitch and wholly uninviting. Oswald however, just looked at him instantly. Swallowing his fear, Jaeger entered the stone maw.  
Inside, it was instantly dark. He could see the outside light, but it did nothing to alleviate the darkness within the cave itself. He walked forward, step by step, his boots making a muffled thud with every step. As the cave progressed, the stench of death became more and more strong. It seemed to go on for far longer than the outside would have ever suggested. Unfathomable depths, twisting and branching tunnels, and yet he always knew which one of the paths would lead him to the goal. He lost track of time by the time he entered the chamber, the smell strongest there, and likely emanating from there as well. It was dark like the rest of the cave, until he saw a glowing green eye, with a slitted pupil like that of a cat.  
A voice echoed from the darkness and hissed, “Who now encroaches upon my domain? Is it another one here to attempt to dispose of me?” Jaeger was taken aback by the speech, and couldn’t find a reply to give. “Methinks you should answer soon, before you end up as food. It has been too long since a good meal.” He worked up a voice to answer, and meekly replied, “I am not here to dispose of you, voice of the void, I am not sure why I am here actually.” There was an audible hiss, followed by, “So I have been forgotten. You are just a fool who stumbled into my home, having no idea who I am. It is rather sad. But I suppose I shouldn’t be mournful of myself.”  
The cavern seemed to brighten, revealing the rock formations that had been slowly eroded down over many years. More importantly, it revealed what was speaking to Jaeger, a great, white serpent. It looked at him with curiosity, and he could feel it judging him. After a rather uncomfortable silence, for him at least, he spoke. “What manner of creature are you serpent?” “I am old, older than you can imagine, and I enjoy believing that I am wise along with that age.I am the exile, the focused point of hatred of all. There exists but few that revere me, realize that I am as much a part of things as time itself. People hate things like me, and they lash out and harm me.” “Well, I must profess, I know not what you are, but know I am not here to deal any injury to you. In all honesty, I was sent here by someone who inhabits these lands, I assume to seek you out.”  
“You seem different than most others. Like that oh so kind woman who you refer to. She has provided me with charity, and for that I am grateful, so I shall grant her wish for you to see me, for better or for worse. So what do you wish to know?” Jaeger thought, racking his brain for any wisdom he might want to seek from the strange creature. He thought some more. And a bit more. Finally, he knew what to ask. “If you are such a wise and ancient being, then you must be able to tell me my destiny.”  
The serpent laughed, a raspy sound that filled the cavern. “I cannot see the future fool. I can see your past, and guess what might happen to you. Nothing can be predicted with true certainty. From what I have seen of you, many options lay ahead for you in the future. And yet, I feel you will inevitably have the same fate whichever way you go. A blessing or a curse, depending on how you perceive things.” Jaeger looked at the snake, and asked, “What is this fate of mine?” Once more, she chuckled, “Like I said, the future is not certain. It could be your fate, it could not. I am just an abnormally large serpent.” “Thats… frustratingly vague.” “Maybe that's the point.” “Rather stupid point, don’t you think?” He stared at the serpent. She stared back. They stared at each other for a moment longer.  
“Aside from you being rather rude, I enjoy talking to you. Everything has a price however, would you not agree, Jaeger of Nix? Or are you still just Jaeger? Quite hard to tell at times. Oh well, back to the subject of the price. I desire something delicious. Can you supply me with a fine slab of meat from one of them?” Jaeger was taken aback a bit by the request, first by the serpent knowing his name, and also wanting meat from whoever “them” was referring to. “I am sorry, but I do not know who you mean by “them” great serpent.” “Ah, it is before the revelation. Ask the kind lady who sent you. She shall know. Now leave.”  
Jaeger walked out of the cave, somehow not getting lost along the way, both to his surprise and Oswalds. When he told Oswald what the serpent had requested of him, her face darkened. “If that is what she wants, then we should hurry and deliver it to her. Where we need to go is a ways away, so let us make haste.” She started to walk, when he called out “If it is a ways away, then won’t we need supplies and food?” Oswald looked at him and in an inquisitive tone said “Do we need food?” “yes. We need food to survive Oswald.” With an exasperated sigh, she turned and started heading back to the cave she lived in.  
“I really don’t understand how you thought we could go a long way without food.” “It’s called sarcasm Mr. Bolshevitz. I suggest you try it sometimes.” Oswald and Jaeger were grabbing as much supplies as they could carry and still be able to travel efficiently. Cans of food that she had stored around the cave were picked up, checked, and dropped with a metallic clink. Soon enough, they both thought they had enough supplies, some cloth for a shelter, a bit of wood for fire, and plenty of food.  
They set out, Jaeger still having no idea where they were headed to. After a while he finally decided to ask her. “Oswald, where exactly are you leading us? And who was the serpent referring to with “them””? Oswald gave him a glare, a look to signify “keep your voice down.” After a second or two of looking around, she seemed content enough to answer. “Mr. Bolshevitz, have you ever heard of the valley of Lorang? I would assume you have at least heard mention of it in fairy tales, yes?” Jaeger shook his head. “Hmf. I suppose Nix isn’t a place where one is told fairy tales as a child. Know that it is a mythical valley, free from the corruption that plagues Innominatum, but subject to one of its own, one that I am sure you know of, the slow creeping corruption of the abyss.”  
Jaeger, in fact, as Oswald had suggested, knew what the abyss was. The all consuming darkness, the void, the absence of anything, and yet, there was always something. The thought of going anywhere near the abyss terrified him to his core. Every child on intertitus was taught to know the signs of taint from the abyss, and how to destroy them quickly.  
Jaeger simply responded, “I do know of it.” Oswald shook her head, “Of course you know of it, I said you did. Anyway, it isn’t consumed by the abyss, but it is something you must watch for. As for who she meant by “them” she was referring to the denizens of the valley.” “Is there anything special about the inhabitants of the valley?” Jaeger asked. “No, the serpent just likes eating people from there. Of course there are, you fool. They are more close with the gods than anyone else. Their flesh will make a pleasant morsel for her.” Jaeger was suddenly less onboard with the plan.  
They were back out into the wastes, Jaeger limping behind Oswald. The land seemed to be growing darker and darker by the second, and he felt it was a pertinent thing to bring up to Oswald. “Wouldn’t you think it to be wise to make a camp for the night?” She looked up at the sky, and replied, “this isn’t exactly night, but I suppose it would be a good decision to rest.” She led him over to some of the bones that littered the land, and used her dual arm to light the wood. She looked at him and said, “We should take shifts watching out for beasts. I will take the first one. Rest well while you still can.” “Are you sure that you can stay up for however long you need to?” She laughed at that, and retorted, “Don’t you worry Mr. Bolshevitz, I have done this plenty. Nothing will go wrong while you sleep.”  
“For being a church, we are rather militarized, don’t you think?” Terrowin looked at the one who just suggested such a ridiculous notion. “We have such a sizable militia due to the interest of keeping ourselves a separate entity from them.” Terrowin looked directly at the feeble little man, one of the cardinals, his name was Barnabas, if Terrowin recalled correctly. “Stupid name” he thought to himself. Terrowin stood up from the table they were seated at, and said, “I would like to mobilize a defence as soon as possible. It seems that the Kriegshetz are retreating. I would like to make sure the United Forces do not see it fit to… occupy this cathedral. Do you understand?” The men shook their heads in agreement, and he dismissed them.  
Terrowin looked around the cathedral, taking in its gold engravings, contrasted brilliantly against the black marble that made the most of the church. No matter how many times he saw them in his life, he was always impressed by the architecture that made it up. The gods certainly wouldn’t approve of the race of man making such ornate things, but to be quite honest, Terrowin really didn’t care. They would soon be obsolete, along with Him. Everyone would bow to him. He would be the god to lead the race of men into the light, and into an age of prosperity. A new lord for a new age, a new world, created in his image.  
Oswald roughly shook Jaeger awake, signifying his turn for guard duty. He took his place, dual arm in his good hand. The fire burned with a slow crackle, casting a red shadow through the shelter they had taken refuge in. He looked at the bones that shielded them from the winds, and marveled at the size. To think that creatures of such magnificent size once roamed the planet. He stared in wonder for a moment longer, the short rest he had rejuvenating his curiosity of the land he now inhabited. He wished to return to a more simple point of his life, before the chaos. Before he was branded. Before he was exiled. Thinking back to his mother brought a tear down his good eye, wishing to perhaps once again meet her before she passed through the veil asunder to join his father.  
He shook his head, such folly couldn’t distract him from guarding where he and Oswald were camped. He saw only darkness, an all consuming void, barely staved off by the red light of the fire, if it were to suddenly go out, they would be plunged into the darkness, unable to defend themselves, or even see. He looked and looked, and nothing came. Eventually, his thoughts began to drift inward again. He thought of the dream he had on the carriage. Of the voices that spoke to him. He wondered about what they said, about him entering a new land, and the witch. He thought about what the serpent said, about how nothing can predict the future accurately, and yet, the voices seemed to know that he would enter innominatum, yet he still had yet to meet a witch.  
The time began to pass strangely, or it at least felt so. Jaeger stood and looked around, he began to feel the rotation of the very planet he was situated on. Choking back a wave of sickness, he tried to see if anything was causing such a reaction. He knew that they had not been burning that accursed plant, Turgulus he believed Oswald had called it. He then saw that the fire, something was wrong about it. He tried to discern what he perceived as off, until he realized. It was burning backwards. The wood became less and less charred. He stood up from where he was seated, and another wave of sickness washed over him.  
He looked up to the sky, and saw unfathomable things, a pure white colour had replaced the stars, but it didn’t light the world, at the center of it all lay a blackness, a blackness blacker than night, seeping into the rest of the sky. It convulsed and pulsed, swirling with malcontent. Looking at it, Jaeger felt as though he was being watched from that wretched void, a thing of evil and hate staring at him from the inky darkness. It felt as though he were witnessing the end of all creation as the darkness spread through the sky, taking it over until all was consumed.  
He looked away, but it still felt as though there were thousands of eyes, parts of a larger whole, staring at him. He began to hear whispers, wretched whispers around him. The voices were all different, yet all part of the same being. He could not discern what they said, but he knew anyway. He knew what they told him, what they told him to do. Jaeger tried to block them out, to close off his ears, to no avail. No matter what he tried, the voices crept through his defenses, and told him what to do over and over and over and over.  
He resisted. Though the voice was ever present, he refuted its demands, unwilling to give in. That was when he felt it. As though a marionette on strings manipulated by the voice, his body began to move on it’s own. His arms reached to his dual arm, and trying as he might to stop it, he could not regain autonomy of his being. He tried to shout, to cry for help, to Oswald, to anyone. Every attempt brought only suffering. The brilliant point of his dual arm, the rifle-spear, shown like a light unparalleled. He felt tears in his eyes as he brought it over his heart. He gave one final attempt, to move, to stop, to scream, but the puppet master refuted his attempts.  
The point was drawn in slowly, he felt the point press against his clothes, and he felt as the weight on it increased. It pushed against his clothes, eventually breaking through and piercing the skin. The weight he put into it only increased, getting heavier and heavier, his ribs only barely holding together against his own strength. It was moments away from breaking the casing of his heart, when he felt everything start to grow hot. It burned, both his body and the strings, and he was free. He dropped the dual arm, and dropped to the ground rolling.  
It was morning, Oswald stood over him, an expression of worry unlike which she had exhibited before. Jaeger saw a part of his clothes burned, his arm. He then became acutely aware of the sharp pain across it. Upon closer examination, he found the sleeve torn to shreds, and marks went up and down his skin, slowly oozing blood. He saw the same in his chest. He looked up to Oswald and shakily asked, “What has happened?” She simply replied, “You tell me.”  
Jaeger tried to explain what had happened to Oswald while she tried to tend to his wounds. He tried to explain what had happened to the fire, to the sky, but Oswald only seemed to become more confused. It was only when he spoke of the voices she showed true worry. She asked, “what did they sound like?” Jaeger replied, “I cannot say. They were all different, but i remember them distinctly all coming from the same source.” Oswald looked around them, into the wastes beyond, and said, “I think it is best if we move away from here as quickly as possible.”  
“Do you know what it was, Oswald?” She paused, and replied, “I have an idea that I would not like to entertain, but I do believe that I know.” “Tell me then.” “Mr. Bolshevitz, I believe that the abyss may be creeping out of the valley. I believe that it may have been what drove you to your actions tonight.” Jaeger was quite unsettled by such an idea. An invasive force in his mind, telling his body what to do without any resistance was not an appealing idea to him. “Is there any way I can prevent it from invading my mind again?” he asked Oswald, and she only replied, “After a failed attempt, it shouldn’t try again. It is not something that can plot or target. You should be safe.” Despite the conflicting nature in the two sentences she said, Jaeger felt at least somewhat comforted by them.  
Day was strange in Innominatum, as neither Jaeger or Oswald could see the sun. There were no clouds, nothing to block. The sky was just a bright grey, a grey that somehow lit the landscape. Neither knew what time of day it ever was, aside from rough guesses. Their footprints were swept away quickly by the harsh winds that blew as well, covering Oswald’s normal tracks and Jaeger’s trail from his limp. Oswald always seemed to know where to go, no matter how seemingly impossible the land was to navigate, she always seemed to know.  
The land grew hot and cold, humid and dry, no weather pattern consistent, and it was always uncomfortable. Oswald always insisted that they move forward though, saying “If we rest here, who knows when we might get moving again. We must be sure to keep a consistent pace, so we may reach the valley by tomorrow.” They had burned the one log the night before, and Jaeger was anxious for it to be night again, for at least there, the weather was consistent.  
For most of the day, their march went unimpeded. No attacks from beasts, no dangerous flora, nothing of note. When night started to fall, Oswald found them another set of bones to sleep in, these significantly smaller than the previous, which could have been mistaken for a cliff. Jaeger's arm still burned slightly from the night before, for the wounds went deep into his arm, and though they had stopped bleeding, the nerves still screamed. Around the fire, Oswald began to cook some food. A simple meal, some meat and dry vegetables. “Say Oswald, where do you get these things? I have seen no plants grow here.” Oswald simply replied, “When one has lived as long as I in such conditions, they find ways to scavenge what they need when they need it.”  
While they ate, Oswald asked, “Mr. Bolshevitz, tell me, who were the combatants in the war you fought?” “Well, it was the Kriegshetz of Nix against the United Forces, the other countries joined together in a secret alliance. When we invaded Palus, the others joined the fight, and pushed us back to our own lands.” Oswald then asked, “What do you think of the ones you fight against?” Jaeger responded with, “They are no better than common beasts. Why can they not see that Nix would bring them peace and prosperity, to lift them out of their meager lives into something greater? A bunch of mindless, slobbering beasts.”  
Oswald began to grin at such a statement, and replied, “They would say the same of you. Do you know what a beast truly is Mr. Bolshevitz? A beast is something that only has base desires, that will actively set out to cause harm to other beings. There is such a creature that staks its prey, only striking families, consuming the children as the parents watch, and mimics their demise over and over to the parent, feeding on their misery and grief. That is a beast.” “I fail to see what this has to do with the United Forces.” Jaeger angrily spat. “Do you? Or are you too stubborn to admit you’re wrong? Is it blind nationalism that fuels your anger, or is that you cannot bear to acknowledge the fact that you may have been lied to since birth?” Oswald replied coolly.  
“Our conquest was just, we were doing what was best for the continent! We are righteous, they are insubordinate obstacles that know not what is good for them!” He yelled, clearly angered by what Oswald was insinuating. “I trust you more than I already should, and now you are straining it.” He whispered, now under more control of his emotions. “How do you mean you trust me more than you should? Did I not save you? Have I not helped heal you faster than normal? Have I done anything but aid you?” Oswald was cool in how she responded, not phased by Jaeger’s outburst. “I met you only a few days ago, of course I should still be suspicious.” “And yet you aren’t.” “It would seem, for reasons I do not know, that I have trusted you since we met. Formally at least.”  
Oswald smiled faintly at that, saying “For what reason indeed. Perhaps you were drawn to me by fate, perhaps it was by happenstance I found you. Or perhaps, we are both but mere pawns in someone else’s game, being manipulated for reasons we would never understand.” “You are a rather morbid person, aren’t you?” “Whatever would give you that impression, Mr. Bolshevitz?” Jaeger looked at her for a while before she said, “Well, it is getting late, and I have what I want.” “What was it that you wanted?” “Confirmation that you are still yourself. Now then, let's get some rest. We will arrive at the valley tomorrow.” Jaeger was taken aback by how casually she said that, and asked, “What do you mean about being myself?” Oswald simply lay down and replied, “Sleep. It is good for you.”  
Sleep did not come easily to Jaeger that night, not that it ever did. Ever since the war had started, it had been nigh impossible to sleep, the shells falling around their trenches, the sounds of screams. Even out in the wilderness, the desolate wastes he now was forced to live in, the sounds still haunted his thoughts, his dreams, every waking moment he spent still able to hear the artillery, stuck in his head as though it was a never ending cacophony of drums beating away. He tried to sleep, and eventually fell into an uneasy slumber, plagued by dreams.  
When she heard his breathing become regular, Oswald sat back up. She looked at the man, if he was even old enough to be called one, shift back and forth while he slept. She was not certain of how old he was, but he could be no more than twenty-five. She felt sympathy for him, having his life stolen from him, from his family, before he was even truly aware of what life was. There was something different about him than anyone else she had ever met. At first she could not think of what it was, until she realized that it was how he talked. He had an inexplicable charisma, not the artificial kind of a sociopath, but when he talked, one could not help but be moved, and want to follow him. Even one such as her.  
She had known another like Jaeger Bolshevitz, long long ago. Her brother, even as a child, knew how to talk to people. He knew how to get them to side with him, how to get them to do what he wanted. It also helped with the lessons their parents had them take, knowledge of how to talk to diplomats and senators came in handy when you were a noble. She never thought of her brother, finding how he did things on the nose, no tact or thought put into anything. It didn’t matter now. Her brother was gone, along with a part of her, both lost to an unquenchable craving for power and knowledge. She would prevent such things from happening again, and Jaeger Bolshevitz was step one in the plan to do so. The perfect being to bring balance to the world. But enough internal monologue, it was time to cook breakfast.  
Jaeger dreamt, strange visions and landscapes passed as he soared through the skys of a foreign planet, carried and controlled by a force he didn’t know. Faces passed, familiar and unfamiliar, as he was carried higher and higher. He saw the events of his life, his induction into the academy at six years old, the march into palus, the falling of his brothers in arms, and his capture. He was dropped, through the sky, through the clouds, into a never ending maze of stars. He was once again greeted by voices he had heard once before, and had wished to never meet again.  
“Once more you are before us, Jaeger Bolshevitz, the misbegotten child.” Jaeger did try to see them clearer, before saying, “What does that even mean?” “Concern yourself not with what we speak now, listen to what we say now, and listen naught to the witch, for she shall lead you astray.” This made Jaeger angry, though for reasons he could not explain. He angrily shouted, “By witch, do you mean Oswald? I shall listen to her, for she has done more for me than whatever you ever have. I shall not listen to watch you say, for you seem to be creatures of darkness, manifestations of the abyss!” At this, the things around him audibly hissed, and recoiled away. The voice clearly angered said, “If that is how you shall behave, and shall you believe that is what we are, then we have nothing more to discuss. You walk roads to ruin, and no more will we try and intervene and spare you from such a fate.”  
He awoke, suddenly, as though shaken by someone else, despite the only other person around being Oswald. She was cooking something when he awoke, something with meat, which made his mouth water. He walked to where she was, sitting by the dying embers of the scarlet orange campfire cooking the food she had in the bowls they had brought along. He sat down next to her, and she greeted him with, “Did you dream well?” He simply replied, “I think it would be best not to speak of it.” “Very well then. If that is what you wish, I cannot force you to. However, remember that dreams, or things veiled as such can have great importance.” There was a small silence as the meat sizzled. Jaeger broke it with, “What are you cooking?”  
“It is a simple serving of cooked meat and some assorted vegetables, nothing fancy. Simple can be good.” At this Jaeger laughed, saying, “Something with meat in it sounds wonderful to me. I feel like a king with all that I have had recently.” “I take it you didn’t have much during the war?” “No, it was a rarity to even get a small portion, most was gone before it had arrived. It came raw. I suppose that being exiled can have some benefits.” Oswald let a sorrowful smile come across her face, “War can truly show how desperate we can become. Stooping so low as to eat raw meat is a truly pitiful state.” “It is no wonder, the United Forces destroyed many of our farms and other sources of food. People get desperate when hungry.”  
Oswald stood and handed him his bowl, saying “Enough chatter for now, we have places to be. Eat up, it might be awhile before you can again.” They ate in silence, and with a quick gesture, Oswald motioned for him to follow her. Despite being in the land for… for however long he had been in it. Was it three days? Was it three months? Years? Time seemed strange in such a land, and in truth he could no longer recount how long he had been there. He decided to ask Oswald, “Oswald, for how long have I been here?” she replied, “How long would you say? I cannot tell in truth, for as like all things in this land, time does not function here as it does outside. It is knotted, twisting like a living being, and because of that, it can be manipulated if you possess the skill to do so. You have been here for what might only feel like days, and yet might have been months. ”  
The day was long, and the heat from a nonexistent sun beat down on the two travelers. As they traveled deeper and deeper into Innominatum, the bones that littered the land grew fewer and fewer, and grew smaller. Jaeger was unnerved by it, though Oswald seemed to be completely unaffected by it. She said to him, “The valley grows close, and we will have to cross a storm to get to it. Stay close.” He held her pack, and continued to walk, and though it seemed there was no indication of one, a storm indeed enveloped them. He could barely see ahead of his own face, much less could he see Oswald, so he held tightly. Though their visibility was reduced to near zero, she still seemed to know the way through.  
Eventually, Oswald led them out of the storm, and before both of them stood a great door, which disappeared into the ground, like the ones he had seen before in his dreams, where he saw Oswald in the demonic mask. She looked up at the doors, and for the first time a sense of wonder came across her face, saying “I never believed I would see the interior of the doors of sealing. To see the valley is a grace only few have been granted.” “Oswald, that is good and all, but how do we get them open? I don’t suppose we can just wave our hands and it will open.”  
Oswald walked over to the doors, and brushed her hand across the surface, unveiling ancient runes marked across the surface. She began a rhythmic chant, slowly rising in volume. The runes on the doors began to glow a rich red, as the chant increased in volume, the runes grew brighter and brighter, until she was enveloped in light, and Jaeger could hear her calling from within the sphere of crimson red light, shouting “Mr. Boshevitz, push on the right door! The right door! NOW!” He ran into the light, and pushed against what he thought was the right door, and it began to move, pushing inwards, until it suddenly swung open, causing him to fall forward into the dust.

Oswald stood by the left door, it was too open, sweating and breathing heavily. Whatever she had done had taken a toll upon her, the usual dignified composure which she typically stood with, was gone, replaced by an obviously tired and drained stance, and she took ragged gasps, as though she had just reemerged from being held underwater. Perhaps the strangest part was that she now looked like she had suddenly aged fifty years, from a woman in her thirties to someone in their eighties. She took a gulp of air and said, “The doors are open, now we may enter. I warn you, the valley is deadly and will destroy you if not you are not careful.” He responded, “You seem to be in no condition to traverse such a deadly place. Perhaps you should take a small rest?”  
Oswald shook her head, and wheezily said, “No, I shall be fine. We mustn’t waste time here, for the abyss is strong. You go on ahead, I will only be a moment.” Jaeger looked at her and hesitated for a moment, before going through the doors. The light grew dimmer and dimmer as he got farther and farther in. Looking around, he could barely make out anything on the walls, or even see the ceiling.  
The wind howled in the cave that Jaeger had entered, blowing against his face, though there was no opening it could have entered. The darkness felt all consuming, not like that of the vision of the abyss he had, but an empty space in the world. Nothing existed within it, the floor was gone, the cave was gone, his body was gone. It was as though a passage between worlds, something so ancient and hallowed that it felt as though it had been there before anything, before the war, before the collapse, predating the very world they inhabited.  
He walked, though his feet carried him not, he was propelled by the idea of movement, floating through the void. The warm void. The cool void. The friendly void. Here he felt at home. He felt as though he could exist within it forever, as though he had found a place of belonging. He wanted to stay, but the thought of his quest compelled him forward. He tried to stay, to halt himself in the friendly blackness, unlike that of the abyss, but to no avail, as the thought of his duty compelled his movement. Tears of sadness came down his face as he was dragged by his own mind out of the dark, and towards the golden light emanating from the end of the passage, piercing the calm darkness, unwanted light, bad light, evil light.  
He emerged out of the cave, into the Valley of Lorang. In the valley grew great mushrooms, jutting out of the ground. Golden waterfalls billowed upwards, towards an unknown point in the center, Islands floated in the sky, maintained by nothing but themselves, the grass grew tall, untended and wild, and the trees within the valley had orange red and yellow leaves budding on them.  
Oswald came out of the cave quite quickly after him, looking younger and healthier than she had before. Jaeger stared at her in disbelief, how could she get through the cave so quickly after him? He asked her, “Oswald, how have you healed and traversed the cave so quickly?” “I have not been quick, in fact, I am surprised you have waited. For that I am grateful, but we must be quick. I desire not to spend much time in a place so tainted by the abyss.” she responded. “Wha-” she stopped Jaeger mid sentence, shushing him and gesturing to follow her.  
The valley never lost the initial beauty they saw in it the first time they entered, and both of them became more and more enamored by it the longer they stayed. While walking, Jaeger decided to try and strike up a conversation. “Where must we go to find this meat that the Serpent desire’s so?” Oswald responded with a somewhat disinterested voice, saying “We must go to Urbe Deorm, the City of Gods.” “The title “City of Gods” seems a bit ominous, and I thought nothing could survive in Innominatum, if that is true, then how could such a city exist?” “First of all, things can survive within Innominatum, as I have lived there, and the valley of Lorang is not a part of The Nameless Land. It is within it, but they are separate things.” Oswald said, sounding worn down.  
Jaeger asked, “Are you sure you are fine? You sound tired. Perhaps we should rest.” “No! We cannot pause here! The abyss is all around, can’t you feel it, eating away at you, gnawing on the flesh? It corrupts the very air we breathe, we must move to a safer part of the valley before rest.” Oswald shouted, clearly angry. Jaeger had never seen her like that before, and he was taken aback, not having anything to say. “It is true I am tired. It is true that I wish for rest. I cannot have rest, however, until we get to a safe part of the valley. You must forgive my outburst, though you should too know of how dangerous the abyss is.” Oswald apologized, trying to explain her outburst to Jaeger. “It is fine, let's just find a good place for rest.” he said coolly.  
Though Oswald could feel the corrupting presence of the abyss, Jaeger could not, so he trusted that she would know when they had reached a safe spot for a short reprieve. Eventually, she seemed to find a place she deemed safe enough to take a rest. Jaeger went to find some wood for a fire, though there seemed to be no trees within the valley, only the massive mushrooms. He searched and searched, though no trees ever presented themselves. He took a closer look at one of the mushrooms, and noticed that the stems supported that massive bulbs seemed woodlike enough to start a fire. He took out his dual arm, and using the tip of the spear, started to cut some off.  
When Jaeger went to pick up the mushroom bark he cut off, he noticed the spearhead was painted a brilliant crimson red. He saw the mushroom oozing the red substance, the same flow that blood took as it left a person, and he jumped back in fright. He tried to wipe off the spearhead on his cloak, and saw that the tip looked corroded, and realized that where he had wiped the substance on his cloak, it had begun to erode away. He screamed in terror as he shed the layer of clothes, and watched the holes form themselves. When he looked back to the bark, it was gone, burned away by whatever acidic substance the mushrooms held inside themselves.  
After the parts of his cloak had stopped disintegrating, he put it back on, figuring it would still serve its purpose well enough. He walked back to where they had agreed to rest, and there lay Oswald, asleep. She seemed to be plagued within her sleep, twisting and turing. Looking at her then, Jaeger realized where she must have been from, Ignis, the land that had tortured and exiled him. It was hard to believe they would cast out one of their own, but they were not a compassionate nation of people. He sat down across from Oswald, and kept watch out for beasts that may have come upon them.  
It was hard to tell how much time had passed before she woke up, for the light never seemed to fade in the valley. When she did awake, he asked her, “What were you dreaming about, Oswald of Ignis?” She looked surprised by what he had said. “Why do you assume I am from Ignis?” She asked, quickly reassuming her typical hunched and smug posture. “You have all the typical looks of one from there, your olive skin, cold blue eyes, black hair. If not from Ignis, where are you from?” “I may be from Ignis, that much is true. When I came from there to Innominatum, it was much different from how it is now.” “In all honesty, I really don’t care where you came from. Tell me, of what did you dream? I have told you what I have, so it is only fair for you to tell me.” She thought for a moment before saying, “I did not have a vision, nor was I contacted by gods as you seem to have happened to you. I dreamt of a duty I must one day fulfill. The day I fear is approaching, and I dread it. With every part of my being, I dread the coming of that day, but I know it cannot be stopped.” Jaeger looked puzzled by this, asking, “And what is this duty you speak of?” She responded, “A duty my brother asked me to uphold, when he died.” She seemed finished talking about the subject.  
Terrowin, for the very first time in his reign as pontiff of the church, felt fear. He feared what was transpiring around him, the world, its people, the church itself. It seemed to be moving faster and faster, and he could not keep pace with it. His missionaries in Ignis had reported that the fiery nation was working on some kind of metal beasts, ones of fire and destruction. He knew if the beasts were to work, then they would likely deliver them to the other nations of the United Forces. That included Siccum, the enemy of the church. They could not possibly hope to defend against them if the nation attacked with beasts of metal. They would have to form some kind of pact, and soon.  
Terrowin was also afraid of what was happening in the Nameless Land. He knew not what the woman’s name was, or the man’s, but he knew that some form of chaos was brewing in that dusty place. There was the abyss as well. The hunters must have been lax on their duty, for it was starting to run rampant, not enough to affect the war in any significant way, but the towns were being razed by the spawn of it. Terrowin beckoned one of the church’s servants, and began to speak.  
“Oh loyal subject of the Great church, I ask you to deliver a message for me.” The man, clearly intimidated by the pontiff, nodded his head. “Go find the Lord Hunter, and tell him to get the problem under control. I know he holds no love for the church, but I am asking on behalf of the peoples of the nations, to urge the Hunters to step up and deal with this plague.” The messenger quickly hurried off, out the doors gilded doors of the cathedral, off to find the Lord of the Hunters.  
Oswald led Jaeger through the valley, keeping an eye out for danger. While they walked, she asked Jaeger a question, “Mr. Bolshevitz, how did you break your arm and leg?” Jaeger remembered they had been broken, yet they were somehow mostly mended. “I was captured on the front and taken to some kind of facility for captured combatants, there they interrogated me. That is all there really is to it.” “Do you know who did it to you?” Jaeger remembered the interrogator, the face covering they wore, the way their voice had sounded. “Everything about them was hidden, even their voice sounded… artificial.” Oswald let out a laugh at this, saying, “An artificial voice? Don’t be ridiculous.”  
“It is true, the voice they spoke with was not their own!” Jaeger asserted. “It doesn’t really matter I suppose, they will likely not be of any significance to us. Let us continue forward Mr. Bolshevitz.” “If it was not of importance, then why did you ask?” “I was curious, that's all. It isn’t everyday one breaks a leg and an arm and gets exiled.” “If we are asking questions, then I have one for you. How old are you?” Oswald looked at him strangely, and responded, “I am old. So very old and ancient. I think I am approaching… oh around 980 years old. I stopped keeping track past 500.”  
Jaeger was surprised by this, she certainly didn’t look to be nearing 1000 years of age. “How can you extend life to such lengths?” He asked her. “I have done things I regret Mr. Bolshevitz, and extending my life this far is one of them. I regret ever discovering how.” she stated. “That doesn't answer my question Oswald.” She smiled faintly at what Jaeger said, and only replied, “I shall not, for I do not want you to share in my fate.” They continued to walk in silence.  
The heat of the valley was unbearable, the humidity bearing down upon them, as they looked for the city. The silence made them both only more acutely aware of the accursed conditions of the beautiful valley. Jaeger tried to tell a joke to lessen the tension, “Hey Oswald.” “What is it Mr. Bolshevitz?” he took a moment to think of what to say before supplying, “What did the small mountain say to the bigger one?” Oswald cracked a smile before replying, “I don’t know, what?” Holding back a laugh, Jaeger said, “Hi Cliff.” Oswald turned to look at him, with an exasperated look on her face, and both burst out laughing. They felt the stress of the last few days wash off as they laughed. After a minute, Oswald looked directly at Jaeger and said, “Mr. Bolshevitz, that was most definitely the worst joke I have ever heard. I would like to hear another sometime.”  
They walked more with some light conversation, Jaeger trying to ask Oswald more about her past, which she quickly shut down. It was a cagey subject with her, a secret she kept close to her chest. After a while of light chat, he decided to ask, “What did you feel as you passed through the cave Oswald?” She gave him a strange look and responded, “I felt a slight cold, but other than that I passed through without feeling anything. Did something happen to you?” “I felt as though I were transported to somewhere else, older than this planet, a sacred place, and I felt home there.” Oswald shrugged and said, “This is a strange place, I would not be surprised by something like that happening while you entered it.” It was an unsatisfying answer.  
The next few hours passed in an uneventful and quiet way. Both of them were tired, but had no idea of what the time was. The light never grew dim, and there was most definitely confusion due to it, for though their bodies and minds yearned for sleep, they knew they couldn’t let their guards down in such a twisted place. Eventually, the city came within sight. Still far off, but they could see it nonetheless. It stood brilliantly against the rest of the valley, shining like a beacon of light. It was made of gold and white, more extravagant than any of the churches in the nations. It filled them with the resolve to keep going.  
As they approached the city, the dangers of the valley became more and more frequent. The strange plant life became more and more hostile, from thorny brambles to things like Oswald had burned before. The creatures also increased in numbers, clearly corrupted and twisted by the abyss. Jaeger and Oswald made sure to give them a wide brith.  
They prowled in the shadows, avoiding the light, the horribly burning light. What once could have been kindly and sweet looking animals were now twisted, their skin like shadow. Their eyes pierced the two, pupilless, never blinking. The creatures eyed them with hunger, the hunger of something that was starved. A few tried to go after them but were always stopped by the light of the star unfading. Jaeger and Oswald both saw the creatures, their muscles propelling themselves forward like a well oiled machine as each muscle pushed and pulled, back and forth. The swirling darkness surrounded the creatures, with their eyes shining through like bright yellow stars. No sounds came as they walked, as if they were gliding across the ground, nor did they ever roar nor bark, only watching.  
They grew closer to the city, sweltering heat making both of them sweaty and tired, their feet were heavy and their eyes were trying to close themselves. Oswald looked to the sky, squinting her eyes, trying to find whatever light source kept the valley so bright, but she could find none. She only sighed and said, “I suppose it would be wise to rest, wouldn’t you agree Mr. Bolshevitz?” Jaeger looked at her and nodded. They walked into the shade, checking for any beings that may have held ill intent, and Oswald settled down, her back propped up by a tree, and Jaeger took to watching over the camp first.  
She slowly drifted into a world of dreams, dreams of past present and future, dreams of regret and hope. She remembered her childhood, her brother, now long gone. How had she gotten to where she was now? How had she let herself become an exile? She floated through the space, and thought such things to herself, as she dreamt of the present, no use in regretting the past now, nothing would change. They were nearing the city, and she saw it, a great white wall of marble decorated with gold, a strange barrier of light blue surrounded it. She dreamt of Jaeger Bolshevitz watching over the camp while she had the fortune of sleep. As she continued to float through the world of sleep, she heard a voice, one that she wasn’t particularly fond of.  
“I see you have opened your thoughts again little one. Would you mind if I joined you while you sleep? I must admit I have taken a liking to you mortals' thoughts, so different from ours.” Oswald sighed, and replied to the voice, “I seem to recall you saying you thought that we were “terribly boring people in a terribly interesting world, polluting it with our presence.” And as for your question, I don’t think I really have a choice as you are already here.” A shrill chuckle escaped the voice, saying, “I have found more of your… what is it called? Literature? Yes literature. I have found more of it, and I must say, it is fascinating how important you all think you are, especially compared to ones like me.” “I am tired of hearing you call yourself great, and referring to what you are. Come out and say it or I think I’ll stop entertaining you.” “We both know I am great and terrible, that much we can both agree upon. I shan't reveal to you what i am yet, that would spoil the surprise. The twist of the story, as you find out our origins. It is all quite exciting, isn’t it? For you to be on a journey like those in storybooks?” “ The key difference between what goes on in a storybook and here is that in a story, everyone makes it out, the protagonist lives, they all live happily ever after.” “Do you not think the same will happen to you?” “No, I do not believe I will make it out of this intact, I will accomplish what I desire, but in the end, I think my soul will pass.”  
“Oh my, what an altruistic being, willing to sacrifice themselves for their Oh so noble goal! How self absorbed can you be? Thinking that your worldview will benefit all? Don’t you know that others have plans that will come into conflict with yours? How very stupid of you.” Oswald only shook her head saying, “I know of the plans of the Pontiff and Rosenwald, and I will deal with them when the time comes.” “Ahhh yes, to fulfill your duty. How certain are you that you know the extent of what they plan?” “I don’t know, and I don’t need to. The Pontiff is aiming for a similar goal as mine, so he might be useful, and Rosenwald, as always, has his own agenda.” “Very well then. Your story will be fun to watch unfold exiled one. Before you wake, I have one last question. Who is the man with which you travel?” “Surely one who claims to know all mortals would know him, yet another mortal?” “Answer the question Oswald.” “His name is Jaeger Bolshevitz, a soldat of the kriegshetz.” The voice gasped a breath of surprise, and solemnly responded, “Oh. Already? Watch him, watch him carefully Oswald.” Though nothing of the dream changed, Oswald felt the presence of the being leave.  
The valley was still bright, and though Jaeger was tired and Oswald was sleeping, night never came. His eyes were heavy, though he never let them drop, the creatures still patrolled just around their small camp. Their yellow eyes stared into his, unblinking and unfeeling, always in motion. He watched them and they watched back, and though he knew they were beasts, beasts corrupted by the abyss but still beasts nonetheless, he felt as though those horrible eyes were like viewports for something more sinister. The way they stared, it felt as though there was something staring at him from behind the eyes, some entity that only wished him misfortune and misery. Though he was distrubed by the creatures, he felt himself drawn to them, as though a deep longing had come over him, like he had met someone he had dearly missed.  
He looked at them, and for once, the beasts stopped. Their movement halted, and they stood still, as though frozen. He was drawn to his feet, and they came once more, the sounds he wished not to hear again. The horrible wretched sounds he had wanted to forget, the sounds of battle. The whistle of shells falling down to the earth, the screams of his friends, the squelch of mud beneath rubber boots. He saw it too. Though they charged, everyone moved like puppets, stiff and mechanical, and all had no face. The faceless horde charged ever forth, their limbs moving in jerky spasms, and yet they never moved at all, charging towards nothing. Soon it all faded and the sights of the valley returned except for one difference. It was dark.  
The darkness settled, and the creatures were gone, as was Oswald. Then it came again, the voice of a singular thousand people, the voice of the abyss. It beckoned once more, and he resisted, its voices called, and he didn’t listen. He knew what it was, and didn’t care what it wanted, he would not let it consume him as it had tried to do in Innominatum. He tried to block out the sounds, but nothing worked, not his hands or pieces of cloth. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes and screamed, screamed as loud and for as long as he could. When he stopped, the voices were gone, no longer whispering, but when he opened his eyes, it was still dark. When he looked to see where Oswald should have been, she was still gone as well.  
He looked up, and saw a swirling cloud. A cloud that violently whipped about, rising high above him. It began to take a shape, forming legs, a torse, arms and a head. There stood the monolithic being, a jagged crown upon its head. Two lights opened up from its face, two pale yellow eyes shot out beams that scoured the landscape. They fixed on Jaeger, and he could only stand rooted in place, as the thing held it’s gaze. From no mouth it said with a harmonic voice, “Well met Jaeger Bolshevitz, remembering the war I see. It seems to stick to you doesn’t it? Like a filth you can never rid yourself of. I know all too well. I can help you, rid you of the war, the memories, all the unpleasantness.” “What are you? What do you want from me?” “I think that it is very clear who I am. I am the one who comes from the tenebris corners of the planet, I am the shadow that everyone casts, I am intrinsic to everything, and yet avoided. You can call me Inanis for short.”  
Lhazayron stood in his quarters, looking over documents pertaining to a device that he had commissioned to be built. He rang a bell to summon one of the servants of the church, and awaited for them to arrive. Within a minute, a young boy, no older than 15 arrived and Lhazayron handed the boy a note, and told him, “Take this to the man outside the church wearing the hat with a feather stuck in it. Tell him that this concerns ritual prayer hours, and hand it to him. He will take care of it from there.” after a brief pause he added, “Come back here when it's done, I would like to speak with you some more.” the boy nodded and rushed out the door letter in hand. Lhazayron resumed scowling over the plans, making an obvious show of being displeased even though no one was there. He was so caught up in looking displeased, that when someone came in, he failed to notice.  
“Hail Pontiff, how goes your scheming? Or would you prefer Terrowin? Or perhaps Lhazayron, I don’t really care any way.” The Pontiff visibly jumped at the man who had made his into his quarters silently suddenly speaking. He whipped around and got a good look at the stranger, and immediately settled down. “Oh Lord Hunter, you do love your theatrics, don’t you?” The Lord Hunter chuckled grimly and took a seat on the floor, his clothing rustling while doing so. “Is this low enough for you oh so holy one? Or perhaps you would like me to be kissing your feet while you tell us what to do?” he asked in a mocking tone. Lhazayron simply scowled and said, “I know that you do not have any love for me and the church Leofric, but please, as I said before in my letter, this is for the good of everyone.” Just then, the letter boy returned and saw the Lord Hunter sitting on the floor, and Lhazayron scowling at him. In a feeble voice he asked, “L-lord?” Lhazayron sighed and pointed the boy out of his quarters. Leofric unleashed a harsh laugh and said, “What, taking children’s innocence now, are we?” The pontiff's face contorted, but he gave no reply.  
“Both of us know that I would never stoop so low as that, Leofric.” said Lhazayron most visibly disgusted. Leofric simply stood back up and looked him directly in the eyes and said, “You should know that us hunters answer to nothing besides the spirit of the hunt, and yet you try and tell me how to perform my duties.” “Is your duty not to hunt the creatures of the Abyss? Is it not your job to make sure that they don’t grow and overrun everywhere?” Lhazayron answered coolly. Leofric nodded his head, never breaking eye contact. “It is, but we cannot be everywhere, and if you haven’t noticed, something has agitated the abyss as of late. It has become more active, more dangerous.” “I don’t care, make sure that it is dealt with, not for my or the church’s good, but for the good of those that live in the villages and towns.” “Its unlike you to be so altruistic dear pontiff. Have you come down with something?” “Leofric, a man cannot become a god without people to witness it.” Leofric flashed a look of disgust at Lhazayron, and wordlessly walked out.  
Rosenwald stood on his balcony overlooking the city of Durchetz, the glorious capital of the nation. Beyond its walls were small villages and towns, housing the vast majority of the population, and many had been horribly affected by the war. The citizens flocked to the capital and castle for protection from the all consuming flames of the war. Smoke rose in the distance, drawing ever closer as the Kriegshetz were pushed back, not unintentionally of course. Rosenwald was not unaware of what the other nations thought of Nix before the war, terrified of the resource capital and the massive army they held. The alliance was sure to be formed at some point, once they were able to put aside their hatred for each other for at least a brief moment. What better person to form it than him? If Rosenwald so desired, he knew he could rip the United Forces apart by the seams, an alliance united by common malice is one that asks to be shattered. Especially when the idea was planted by the enemy. However, despite all of it, the United Forces would soon reach the capital and the Empire of Nix would finally fall. Rosenwald thought back to when he was a child still, in line to take the throne from his father, who had been ruling for almost twenty-five years.


End file.
